How to Make Dandelion Root Extract

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How to Make Dandelion Root Extract

Overview

Sometime in modern history, the humble dandelion was labeled a weed. Seen as a demon of the suburban lawn, dandelion is often poisoned, plucked and otherwise removed from our daily lives. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the dandelion is used as a diuretic and as a liver or kidney tonic. Only a full, healthy root is good for making dandelion extract for medicine, so collect only mature flowers.

Step 1

Dig up the roots of several dandelions, until you have 4 oz. of root. Collect the roots in the spring, as fresh roots still have the plants' stored food within.

Step 2

Rinse and chop up the dandelion root into 1/4-inch pieces and put them into a pan with 2 qt. water and bring to a boil. Allow the water to boil down to 1 qt.

Step 3

Strain the water through a cloth to drain the extra liquid, then put in the remaining quart of water. Save the fluid that was drained. Cover and boil again until the water is down to half a pint. Strain the water again, combining the strained liquids.

Step 4

Pour the liquid into the pan and bring to a boil with the pan covered. Allow the liquid to boil for several hours until it is reduced to 2 oz.; allow the liquid to cool.

Step 5

Add the vegetable glycerin to the cooled liquid and place the extract into a dark stopper bottle. The extract will remain fresh for a year.

Things You'll Need

4 oz. fresh dandelion root

3 qt. water

2 oz. vegetable glycerin

Shovel

Dark stopper bottle

Cloth

References

Holy Smoke: How to Make Herbal Extracts

Botanical: Dandelion

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Dandelion

Keywords:
dandelion root extract, dandelion medicine, dandelion uses

About this Author

Cleveland Van Cecil is a freelancer writer specializing in technology. He has been a freelance writer for three years and has published extensively on eHow.com, writing articles on subjects as diverse as boat motors and hydroponic gardening. Van Cecil has a Bachelor of Arts in liberal arts from Baldwin-Wallace College.